The Work Of Art In The Age Of Mechanical Reproduction Summary Essay Example For Students

The Work Of Art In The Age Of Mechanical Reproduction Summary Essay Walter Benjamins The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction is written in an unfamiliar manner that left me totally confused. After reading the essay, I almost flew out the door to find the nearest bookstore to pick up a Cliffs Notes to help me better understand the reading. Benjamins thought process is being constantly interrupted with ambiguous Roman numerals which stray from idea to idea. Instead of the paper flowing naturally from thought to thought the Roman numerals act as stopping points between each subject he talks about. The paper seems to be more of a documentation of quotes on art reproduction than an essay on art reproduction. His use of footnotes is especially intriguing because they are used for more than just documenting quotes or sections of the text. The footnotes on some pages sometimes seem to contain more information than the actual body of the text. Its as if Benjamin states an idea or thought and then explains it further in the footnote rather than in following sentences. We will write a custom essay on The Work Of Art In The Age Of Mechanical Reproduction Summary specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now In the seventh Roman numeral Benjamin said that Earlier much futile thought had been devoted to the question of whether photography is an art (Benjamin 85). Benjamin is unclear in his decision of whether photography is an art form or not. He just sees the ease of reproducibility as being a downside to the art form. The fact of the matter is that photography is just as much of an art form as painting and sculpture. A photographer chooses to capture a split second of time in any million of possible moments while also taking into account the angle, lighting, lens, color, and subject. Art is very controversial when it comes down to what is and isnt art. The particular way I clean a fish with precision and skill using a knife to get every portion of meat can be an art. Whos to say Im wrong. I am tired of reading essays about art criticism (Berger, Benjamin) that focus on what art isnt rather than what it is. Benjamin states The feeling of strangeness that overcomes the actor before the camera, as Pirandello describes it, is basically of the same kind of estrangement felt before ones own image in the mirror. But now the reflected image has become separable, transportable, and where is it transported? Before the public (Benjamin 88). The type of strangeness described by seeing yourself in the mirror or on film is separated by the fact that thousands of people will see you when on film, while in the mirror your aura is there only for you to see. The footnote following this quote states The change noted here in the method of exhibition caused by mechanical reproduction applies to politics as well. Since the innovations of camera and recording equipment make it possible for the orator to become audible and visible to an unlimited number of persons, the presentation of the man of politics before camera and recording equipment becomes paramount (Benjamin 88). This footnote compares a politician using film and TV to an actor acting in front of a camera. This method allows the politician to appear larger than life because he is seen by so many people at the same time. The politicians image has been transported before the public.

3 Examples of Misplaced Modifiers

3 Examples of Misplaced Modifiers 3 Examples of Misplaced Modifiers 3 Examples of Misplaced Modifiers By Mark Nichol n each of the following examples, placement of a phrase obfuscates the sentence’s narrative flow. Discussion and a revision follow each sentence. 1. Ultimately, it isn’t the strongest or the smartest companies that survive and prosper, but those that successfully adapt to change. Because â€Å"survive and prosper† applies to both the point and the counterpoint, it is best located at the end of the sentence; otherwise, the phrases ending in â€Å"that survive and prosper† and â€Å"that successfully adapt to change† appear to be distinct, whereas the second phrase, as part of the larger phrase beginning with but, is subordinate to the main clause: â€Å"Ultimately, it isn’t the strongest or the smartest companies, but those that successfully adapt to change, that survive and prosper.† 2. Anthony Ervin made history in the men’s 50-meter freestyle by becoming the oldest swimmer to win an individual Olympic gold medal at age thirty-five. This sentence states that of all the individual Olympic gold medalists in swimming who were thirty-five, Ervin was the oldest, but to correctly associate the age with Ervin alone, rather than with all thirty-five-year-old swimmers, the phrase â€Å"at age thirty-five† must be adjacent to Ervin’s name, preferably as an introductory phrase: â€Å"At age thirty-five, Anthony Ervin made history in the men’s 50-meter freestyle by becoming the oldest swimmer to win an individual Olympic gold medal.’ 3. Nevertheless, Neo-Nazis and white supremacists have been perpetuating the myth that the movie has an anti-Semitic message since at least 2008. The sentence could be misread to suggest that the myth is that the movie acquired a particular message in a specific year. To clarify that the year refers simply to the advent of the notion itself and is not integral to the notion, it should be placed near the head of the sentence: â€Å"Nevertheless, since 2008, Neo-Nazis and white supremacists have been perpetuating the myth that the movie has an anti-Semitic message.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Synonyms for â€Å"Leader†10 Types of Transitions10 Writing Exercises to Tighten Your Writing